Below I sound far, far more harsh than I intend. I am completely sympathetic 
with David in his predicament and have myself screwed up. Hence, I have 
students submit almost everything (including final exams, but not quizzes) 
electronically. Then the students never know you spilled peanut butter on 
their paper.

Ginny


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Virginia Maurer" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2005 2:06 PM
Subject: Re: Lost Bluebooks


> Because "you" screwed up and carelessly lost their exams. So you take full
> responsibility and let them understand that you know and appreciate that 
> you
> are imposing on them unfairly but it is unclear what else you can do and
> still assess their learning correctly. Somebody is going to be
> inconvenienced on account of something they did not do and for which they
> are not responsible. Let them suggest that the other 40 folks should have 
> to
> sit for another exam since they have to (they won't). Try to do something
> non-grade related to make up for the inconvenience you are causing them.
> Hence the pizza and the apologies. Maybe a voucher for a CD or a DVD.
> Perhaps the other 40 will think it is unfair for them to be unable to be
> inconvenienced. So I guess you let them take the extra exam, too, and take
> the grade they get in lieu of their earlier grade?
>
> And ask them to tell you whether they think that you have handled this as
> fairly as possible, given that the exams were irretrievable.  Be 
> responsive
> to their insights.
>
> And maybe let them know that, having had this experience for the first 
> time
> in ____ years of teaching, you are now going to be far more understanding 
> of
> students who screw up and leave their books or papers on the train or
> whatever.
>
> I wold think that except for the occasional j___, students will understand
> that these things happen if it is clear that you are sharing the burden of
> the mistake you made, taking responsiblity, and requiring no more of them
> than what is necessary.
>
> And probably you'll never do this again. I think this models how mature
> professioals take responsibility for their errors. Fortunately, they are
> unlikely to sue you for malpractice, so it should be safe to admit fault
> (the lawyer thought).
>
> Ginny
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steven E Abraham" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, October 28, 2005 11:14 AM
> Subject: Re: Lost Bluebooks
>
>
>> Why should those 20 people have to study for a second exam while the
>> other 40 don't?
>>
>> On Fri, 28 Oct 2005, Ginny Maurer wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> Give another exam, possibly only to those whose exams you lost. With it,
>>> serve
>>> plenty of pizza, mea culpas, and crow. Pay for it yourself.
>>>
>>> Ginny
>>>
>>> [ecblank.gif]
>>>                             David Opderbeck <[log in to unmask]>
>>>                 Sent by: "Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB)
>>> Talk"
>>>                               <[log in to unmask]>
>>>
>>>                                   10/28/2005 10:49 AM AST
>>>
>>> ___________________________________________________________________________________________
>>>            Please respond to "Academy of Legal Studies in Business 
>>> (ALSB)
>>> Talk"
>>>
>>> ___________________________________________________________________________________________
>>>
>>>
>>> [ecblank.gif]
>>> To
>>> [ecblank.gif]
>>> [log in to unmask]
>>> [ecblank.gif]
>>> cc
>>> [ecblank.gif]
>>> [ecblank.gif]
>>> bcc
>>> [ecblank.gif]
>>> [ecblank.gif]
>>> Subject
>>> [ecblank.gif]
>>> Re: Lost Bluebooks
>>> [ecblank.gif] [ecblank.gif]
>>>
>>> Ok, what's the least unfair thing to do?
>>>
>>>
>>> -----"Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Talk"
>>> <[log in to unmask]> wrote: -----
>>>
>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>> From: "Steven E. Abraham" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Sent by: "Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Talk"
>>> <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Date: 10/28/2005 10:35AM
>>> Subject: Re: Lost Bluebooks
>>>
>>> How can you say giving another exam is "fair?" Your students studied for
>>> the first exam. Now, they'd have to study for a "do-over" because you
>>> lost the first one. How is that fair to them?
>>>
>>> David Opderbeck wrote:
>>>
>>> > Last night I gave a mid-term to a class of about 60 students.  I left
>>> > 20 of the bluebooks on the train on the way home (moron!).  I'm hoping
>>> > they will turn up in NJ Transit's lost and found today.  If they
>>> > don't, has anyone had to deal with a situation like this before, and
>>> > how do you handle it?  I'm thinking that if the missing bluebooks
>>> > aren't found, the only fair thing to do is to write a new mid-term and
>>> > give a "do-over."
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>